SAUNA ON A GARDEN PLOT

SAUNA ON A GARDEN PLOT

When developing the project and building the sauna-bathhouse on the garden plot, I proceeded from the fact that it would require as little materials and time as possible. And this, it seems to me, was successful, mainly due to the reduction in the dimensions of the structure, achieved by replacing the large washing compartment with Read more…

GARDEN AND VEGETABLE PLOT “TRINKETS”

GARDEN AND VEGETABLE PLOT “TRINKETS”

Motor cultivators, mini-tractors, potato harvesters… For economically strong farms and homesteads, such equipment has long ceased to be a novelty. The lot of the less fortunate, it seems, remains only hope in oneself, in one’s ability to create solid mechanical helpers almost from “scrap,” and on extremely simple, yet reliable agricultural tools—a “gift from deep Read more…

MY HOME IS MY CASTLE

MY HOME IS MY CASTLE

Regular subscribers know that our publication pays considerable attention to individual construction. By regularly publishing various house projects and thus communicating with reader-builders, we have found that many novice builder-cottagers have a poor understanding of the house construction process itself. Finnish builder and teacher Renti Jormalainen tells about the initial stage of building a home. Read more…

PIPE WITH A WEATHER VANE

PIPE WITH A WEATHER VANE

Owners of houses with stove heating know how difficult it is to light a cold stove (fireplace or sauna stove), especially in bad windy weather. You’ll literally cry, because the smoke initially often goes not into the chimney, but, on the contrary, into the room. This problem is especially acute for those owners of garden Read more…

AN ERGONOMIC HANDLE

AN ERGONOMIC HANDLE

Active work with rakes, hoes, shovels, snow scrapers, and all other garden tools with handles of uniform diameter throughout their length is associated with excessive strain on the fingers. In youth, one doesn’t pay attention to such trifles, but with age, the number of rest breaks somehow increases… To reduce hand strain, I attached handle-like Read more…

SHOWER PANEL

SHOWER PANEL

I have been subscribing to your magazine for many years. It is a real helper for those who do something with their own hands. We live in the south of Ukraine, where such building material as wood is in short supply. Many of my neighbor gardeners have started building utility structures from cement panels of Read more…

SIEVE… FROM THE SUN

SIEVE… FROM THE SUN

The sun is always a welcome guest. Both in the city and especially when going out for country recreation. But sometimes you want to get away from guests too. From the sun as well, when there’s too much of it, on an exhaustingly hot summer day. We seek saving shade, a secluded corner somewhere under Read more…

VEGETABLE “KINDERGARTEN”

VEGETABLE “KINDERGARTEN”

Very often spring in Siberia turns out to be prolonged and cold. That’s why most gardeners are in no hurry to plant seedlings of the most common vegetable crops—cucumbers and tomatoes—in open ground even at the end of May, because, according to long-term observations, frosts can return as late as June 10. However, you can’t Read more…

“PAPAKHA” FOR THE WELL

“PAPAKHA” FOR THE WELL

A well still has no less significance today than before, especially given the popularity of dacha and cottage construction. No tap water, even passed through modern filters, can compare to well water. Given its usefulness, a well deserves that its visible part not only performs protective functions but also serves as decoration, as a decorative Read more…

DUMP CART

DUMP CART

To make this light and convenient cart — an indispensable helper for gardeners and farmers — you will only need what can be found in any dacha or farm. But it will serve on any auxiliary work: move delivered cargo to the right place, bring planting material, go for water with canisters. Thanks to bicycle Read more…